Seattle Seahawks Defensive Lineman Michael Bennett Sued for Abandoning Dog

Public service announcement for NFL players/humanity at large: Don’t be an awful pet owner, or you will face legal action.

This is the situation currently facing Seahawks defensive lineman Michael Bennett, who’s being sued for allegedly abandoning his dog.

According to TMZ, Bennett left his four-month-old boxer, Koa, at a pet boarding facility in Tampa, Fla., in March 2013 and never came back for the animal.

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The dog's health deteriorated in his owner’s absence, according to the unfortunately named Lucky Dog Daycare and Resort.

Caretakers at the facility claim Bennett’s abandonment caused Koa to experience an emotional breakdown, and they were forced find him a foster home after multiple failed attempts to contact the Seattle defensive tackle.

The facility is now suing Bennett for abandoning his obligation to pay for services rendered. They’re looking for a figure around $5,000 in order to cover costs for Koa’s extended stay and the subsequent costs of arranging a foster home for the poor beast.

The bright side is that Koa is “thriving” with his new owners, who have renamed him Quigley—an infinitely more awesome moniker. Koa's new owner is an out-of-work puka shell salesman.

Quigley, on the other hand, has a killer mustache and an abiding sense of justice rarely found in the lawless, Australian outback. 

Image via Eabco.com

To be clear, the suit facing Bennett has yet to be won. There could be circumstances surrounding this situation that haven’t been brought to light yet. The dog may have been the joint responsibility of a girlfriend or a family member. 

With that being said, as a man of relative means, there’s no excuse for Bennett to put himself in this situation. Answer the phone, hop on a plane, and bring the dog back to your house until you can find it a new home.

Is he Michael Vick 2.0? No. Is he a lazy, careless jack***? Sounds like it.

By neglecting to take responsibility for Koa/Quigley, Bennett now finds himself on the wrong end of the long shaft of public scrutiny—a terrible place to be in a nation of dog lovers.

Regardless of scrutiny, I see Bennett continuing to ignore this situation until the Seahawks' season is over. If he could turn a blind eye during the summer and the preseason, he's certainly not going to hop to it with a potential Super Bowl on the horizon.

In paws of the Quigleys...fly awaaay.

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